FALMOUTH – Collectively it seemed, each member of the Scarborough High girls’ soccer team, players, coaches and managers, let out a deep breath.

Saturday, as the sun set on a chilly afternoon, three years of playoff heartaches disappeared.

Additional Photos

Scarborough won two Class B girls soccer state titles in the 1990s, but Class A? That came Saturday. And how the players enjoyed every minute. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Scarborough goalie Jill Deering leaps to bat away a corner kick Saturday during the 3-0 victory against Bangor. The Red Storm finished 18-0 and allowed one goal all season. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

The Red Storm, who allowed only one goal all season, scored twice in the first half and beat Bangor 3-0 for their first Class A state title.

“We’ve been working a long time,” said senior forward Sarah Little, who had a goal and an assist. “We knew this season we had to do it.”

“I’m so happy for them,” said Coach Mike Farley. “I’m sure they’re going to love this. The town of Scarborough is going to love this. It’s just really good to see these kids have something good happen to them.”

Scarborough, which won Class B titles in 1998 and ’99, ended 18-0. Bangor was 15-1-2.

Scarborough has won numerous games this season in the second half. Saturday, it wasted no time getting momentum, pushing the ball down the outside and pinching Bangor’s forwards at midfield.

Scarborough controlled the first half, continually keeping the ball in Bangor’s defensive end and putting pressure on goalkeeper Mia Smith.

The result was the 2-0 lead. Scarborough got its first goal with 20:53 left in the half, Emma Bagley scoring off a corner kick. Little sent the ball in from the corner to the left of the goal, and Bagley burst through the defense to deflect it in.

“I saw that Emma was in there,” said Little. “I knew if I could place it right toward her she could get her head on it because she’s tall. I couldn’t tell what happened. All I know is she went for it and it went in.”

The Red Storm never let up, getting a second goal with 1:37 left in the half. This one came off a direct kick just outside the box. Tori Armishaw took it, the ball whipping through the defensive wall where Smith knocked it down. But Cortney Hughes was lurking in the middle.

“I was just following the rebound,” said Hughes. “I knew we had to score before the half. We needed to get some momentum.”

She got her foot on the ball and it was suddenly 2-0. Bangor Coach Joe Johnson knew his team was in trouble.

“They played real hard on 50-50 balls; they certainly beat us to a lot of them,” he said. “It was a combination of their experience and our inexperience. I thought in the second half, we came out and answered well.

“Unfortunately you’re not going to give a team like that a couple of goals. They haven’t given up two all year.”

But the Red Storm players were nervous. They knew if Bangor scored, it could change the game. And the Rams came out hard, getting a couple of early chances.

But it was Scarborough’s Little who struck next.

Kaitlin Reynolds carried down the right wing and made a nice move inside before she sent a through pass to the left. Little was following, collected the ball and, she said, “took a deep breath and placed it.” The ball went into the far corner for a 3-0 lead.

“That was huge,” said Farley. “That really changed the game, I think.”

“We were scared still having two goals,” said senior Emily Tolman, one of the Red Storm backs. “But once we got the third goal, we felt more comfortable. We knew they were going to come out really hard.”

And now the Red Storm get to celebrate.

“It means so much to the team,” said Tolman. “We’ve had so many past frustrations. Now we finally made it all work.”

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com

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